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Tortillas have become an American mainstay, with sales comprising 32 percent of U.S. bread sales, according to the Tortilla Industry Association. Second only to white bread, tortillas have gained popularity among Hispanic and non-Hispanic consumers so that their sales exceed those of whole wheat bread, bagels and rolls. Annual tortilla sales topped $6 billion in 2009, according to "Formulating for the Hispanic Market." The article notes that the industry has grown by about 8 percent each year in recent years.

1.

Write a business plan. Scout around town for competitor practices, read articles about the tortilla industry and consider what types of tortillas your business will manufacture. Successful business plans include a summary of the company, explanations of its organization and management structure, accounting practices, market analysis, product descriptions and requests for funding.

2.

Apply for permits and licenses. Most new businesses will need a business license, tax identification number and liability insurance. Local ordinances may also require additional permitting for handling food, operating heavy tortilla-making machinery and distributing food goods to restaurants, grocery stores and other businesses.

3.

Purchase tortilla making equipment. It’s possible to hand-roll and produce tortillas, but this is labor-intensive and time consuming. “Guide to Tortilla Equipment” recommends purchasing mixers, dough dividers, tortilla presses, tortilla counters and equipment for packing. Some machines can produce flour and corn tortillas, and tortillas of different sizes. Before purchasing, measure your available floor space and determine whether the machines will fit–tortilla making equipment can be quite bulky.

4.

Develop a recipe. Although most new tortilla making machines will come with recipes for tortillas, equipment purchased second-hand may not include tortilla recipes. You may want to develop recipes for corn and flour tortillas, as well as recipe portions for different-sized batches. Ingredients for making tortillas are deceptively simple: water, corn flour, unbleached flour, baking powder and vegetable shortening or lard. Developing a specialized recipe unique to your business is an effective marketing technique.

5.

Create a distribution plan. The target consumer base for your tortilla-making business may initially be local restaurants or ethnic markets, so you’ll need to develop a plan for delivering tortillas to these enterprises. It may be necessary to purchase wrappers, labels, shipping boxes and a delivery plan. Later, if you’re shipping to national grocery stores, it may be necessary to build a more sophisticated distribution plan or outsource this service entirely.

Things Needed

Business plan

Licenses and permits

Liability insurance

Food handling permits

Tortilla ingredients

Tortilla recipe

Manufacturing equipment

Packing equipment

Farmers market booth

Fresh salsa

Tips

“Guide to Using Tortilla Equipment” suggests incorporating tortilla production into your promoting efforts. For example, a Mexican restaurant expanding into a tortilla making business might house tortilla equipment behind large glass windows in the restaurant foyer so that customers can enjoy watching tortillas being made.

Fresh tortillas smell delicious, so when you’re first getting started, consider renting booths at local farmers markets and allowing visitors to try free samples of tortilla wedges dredged in homemade salsa. They might become loyal customers.

Warning

In areas with veteran, family-run tortilla making companies, new business owners might face credibility challenges. Consider partnering with a respected Hispanic eatery or hiring tortilla makers with authentic backgrounds in the Hispanic foods heritage. Rather than being the new kid on the block, you’ll be known as providing opportunities for talented chefs and cooks.

Resources (1)

About the Author

Morgan Rush is a California journalist specializing in news, business writing, fitness and travel. He's written for numerous publications at the national, state and local level, including newspapers, magazines and websites. Rush holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, San Diego.

Photo Credits

Fruit salad and tortilla wraps for a healthy lunch image by Sophia Winters from Fotolia.com

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Rush, Morgan. "How to Start a Tortilla Making Business." Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/start-tortilla-making-business-2133.html. Accessed 24 May 2019.

Rush, Morgan. (n.d.). How to Start a Tortilla Making Business. Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/start-tortilla-making-business-2133.html